Harriet Dyson

Harriet DYSON was born in 1882 in Mossley, Cheshire, England.  She was the third child of thirteen born to Elliot Dyson and Ellen (nee Swallow).

On 1 Mar 1906 when Harriet was 23, she married John William WHITE, son of Robert WHITE and Mary Jane ROBINSON, in Mossley, Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, England.  John was born on 17 Jun 1878 in Heyrod, Stalybridge, Lancashire, England, but in early 1879 had left with his mother, older sister and Aunt to join his father in Sydney, Australia.  John had returned to England, presumably to visit family as most of John’s family had remained in Lancashire - one of John’s uncles was a witness at their marriage.   

Harriet and John had an unhappy marriage.  John was a troubled person, he was very strict with his children and would regularly desert the family for large periods of time.  Maybe his strange behavior was the result of the gene pool being “undiluted” (John’s parents were first cousins – a brother and sister married a sister and brother.  Their children had then married – John was one of these children (so he had four different grandparents, but only four great-grandparents!  Family members reflecting on his behaviour often blame genetics but it’s probably just an excuse for a badly behaved man!).   

Harriet Dyson

Harriet and John had the following children:

            i.          Irene (1906-1947)

            ii.         Phyllis (1909-1994)

            iii.        Sidney (1911-1982)

            iv.        Herbert Victor (1913-1999)

            vi.        Elaine (1924-~1979)

Irene was the only child born in England as Harriet and John moved to Australia soon after her birth.  The Dyson family was obviously quite worried about Harriet so her younger sister, Clara, came to Australia to be with her.  The two sisters did spend much time together and their families were close, so it worked out well.

John William White enlisted for service in World War I on 15 April 1915.  At that time he listed his wife, Harriet Dyson as next of kin.  The following question on the enlistment form relates to distribution of salary.  The standard is “…/5 of salary paid to wife and children”.  John William changed his statement to read: 3/5 of salary paid to children, [through] Mary Jane White (Mother) Guardian.  It appears mistrust between the two was well established!

At some stage, Harriet moved into 50 Bennett Street, Bondi.  The houses in this area were built in the 1920s and were “project homes” of the day.  They were semi-detached cottages built to house returned servicemen and their families.  Harriet lived there with her children and took in boarders to assist with the budget.

The following article appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday 28 October 1930:

WHITE v WHITE.

John William White was the petitioner, and Harriet White (formerly Dyson) the respondent, in a suit for the restitution of conjugal rights. The wife denied that she had remained away from her husband without just cause. The marriage took place at Mossley, England, on March 1, 1906, according to the rites of the Congregational Church. The petition was dismissed. Mr. D. C. Paterson (instructed by Mr. F. A. Dudley) appeared for the petitioner, and Mr. Rooney (Instructed by Messrs. Harry A. Green and Co., Sydney agents for Mr. F. E. Murray, of Parramatta) for the respondent.

Harriet and John never actually divorced, although they had very little to do with each other.   When Harriet’s daughter, Irene, died in 1947, the death notice referred to Mr and Mrs John White of Bondi, but John White had not lived in Bondi for many years (if at all).

John William died in Berala, NSW, on 25 Jul 1948; he was 70. At the time he was living with his nephew.   None of his children appears to have retained any photographs of him.  His funeral notice did not identify his children.   

Harriet died in her home at 50 Bennett Street, Bondi, Sydney, NSW, on 4 Jun 1961; she was 79.  All of her surviving children, grandchildren and nephew attended her funeral…

Relationship to SNR = Great-great grandmother